British managers are making space for personal wellbeing, growing in confidence around mental health, and showing optimism about their futures – but are hampered by rising workloads, time pressures and low team morale.
That’s according to a 2025 Wellbeing at Work Survey published by the Secrets from a Coach podcast, hosted by wellness coach Debbie Green and TEDx speaker Laura Thomson-Staveley.
The findings highlight the day-to-day balancing act facing leaders navigating emotional strain, professional growth and uncertainty around artificial intelligence (AI).
Leaders Taking Care But Under Pressure
Almost three quarters (73%) of managers go outside at least once daily, making it the most common wellbeing habit. Exercise (58%), eating regularly (58%), staying socially connected (57%) and sleep (45%) also feature highly. But just 40% practise mindfulness or breathwork, pointing to gaps in broader wellbeing strategies.
Despite this, many managers feel unable to fully support their teams. Overwhelming workloads (58%), time pressures (53%) and lack of support from senior leaders (30%) were the main barriers cited.
These strains coincide with wider cultural challenges: a general sense of pessimism was seen as the biggest obstacle to teamwork (23%), followed closely by disengagement from business vision and weak professional relationships (both 22%).
“These findings paint a picture of leaders who are genuinely trying to do the right thing for their teams and themselves, but who are facing systemic challenges that make it difficult,” Debbie Green said.
“The commitment to professional development and growing confidence around mental health conversations is encouraging, but the barriers to supporting teams effectively need urgent attention.”
Mental Health Conversations Now Commonplace
There are signs of significant culture change. An overwhelming 93% of respondents rated their confidence in having mental health conversations at 7 or above on a 10-point scale, with an average of 8. It suggests such conversations have become a regular and accepted part of management responsibility.
Professional development is another priority for many. Half of respondents dedicate one to three hours per month to continuing professional development, and a further 27% commit between one and three full days. But 17% invest no time at all, exposing uneven approaches to leadership learning and potential risks around preparedness for change.
AI and the Road to 2030
Managers expressed cautious optimism about their future careers, with 63% rating their long-term prospects between 7 and 10. Confidence in their organisations was even stronger, with an average optimism rating of 7 out of 10 and a quarter of respondents giving a score of 8.
Views on AI were more mixed. The average optimism rating was 6 out of 10, with 33% expressing neutral or cautious opinions (ratings 4–5), 38% feeling positive (ratings 8–10), and 27% expressing concern (ratings 1–4). Only 8% chose the middle ground of 6 or 7.
“The AI results are particularly fascinating – with an average optimism rating of 6 out of 10, it’s clear that managers are neither panicking about AI nor completely embracing it yet,” Laura Thomson-Staveley said.
“This measured approach suggests leaders are still figuring out how AI will reshape their roles and career paths. Combined with the team motivation challenges we’re seeing, it points to a workforce in transition, trying to balance human connection with technological advancement.”